Roll-up blind



May 14, 1963 J. L. SCHWARTZ ROLL-UP BLIND 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 29, 1960 WWW/ a:

ATTORNEYS May 14, 1963 J. SCHWARTZ ROLL-UP BLIND 3 S-heets Sheec 2 Filed Dec. 29. 1960 INVENTOR. z/Z-A/v [FONS 63414445 TZ BY Wm ATTORNEYS May 14, 1963 J. L. SCHWARTZ ROLL-UP BLIND 3 SheetsSheet 3 Filed Dec. 29. 1960 ATTORNEYS nie Patented May 14, 1963 3,089,540 ROLL-UP BLIND Jean lLon Schwartz, Paris, France, assignor to Societe Anonyrne ties Ateliers de Construction Schwartz-Bantmont, Paris, France, a body corporate of France Filed Dec. 29, 1960, er. No. 79,334 Claims priority, application France Oct. 17, 1960 3 Claims. (Cl. 160-98) It is the object of the present invention to provide a method of disposing a blind or like device of the roll-up type.

Hitherto known roll-up blinds are usually wound on a rotary member controlled by means of a rod, a crankhandle, etc.

Stop means or locking devices are provided to limit the movement of rotation when the blind is fully rolled up or unrolled. These are normally intended for preventing the rotary member carrying the blind from rotating in the unrolling direction of the blind or like device when the latter is completely unrolled. The blind will thus unroll or roll up by following always the same guide members or slideways, located in front or behind the glass panel to be closed.

With this invention it is possible to use the same blind for causing it to pass selectively on the front or on the rear side of the glass panel.

This method is remarkable notably in that the rotary member on which the upper end of the blind or like device is attached and rolled up, is free of any stops or other locking devices so that when the rotation is continued after unrolling the blind, it will roll up in the opposite direction.

According to another feature characterizing this invention the blind unrolling member is rotatable in either direction.

It is a further feature of this invention to provide means for stopping the blind in its fully rolled up position.

The blind constructed according to this invention may therefore be unrolled at will inside or outside the glass panel of a window or door, without necessitating any other control movement beside the rotation of the control member in one or the other direction.

This invention is also concerned with blinds constructed according to the method broadly set forth hereinabove, which blinds are remarkable notably in that the rotary member, on which the upper end of the blind is rolled, is so mounted as to be capable of continuing freely its rotation in the same direction after the blind has been unrolled completely.

Other features of this invention will appear as the following description proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and illustrating schematically by way of example, two alternate forms of embodiment of the invention. In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section showing the structure of a window equipped with a blind constructed according to this invention, the blind being in its uppermost or rolledup position;

FIGURES 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views similar to FIG. 1, showing different steps of the blind operation;

FIGURES 7 and 8 are vertical sections, similar to those of FIGS. 1-6, showing a window equipped with a blind constructed according to an alternate embodiment of this invention, the blind occupying two different positions somewhat similar to those of FIGS. 1 and 6, respectively;

FIGURE 9 is a cross-section at a greater scale of a part of the device;

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of the fundamental elements of the device of FIGS. 1 to 6.

In the example illustrated a window 1 comprises a fixed frame 2 and a leaf or sash 3.

At its upper portion this leaf 3 comprises a frame or casing 4 having an open bottom 5, 5, the cross member 6 of the leaf on which the top or" a glass panel 7 is mounted being adapted to divide this aperture into two halves, 5 and 5'. Pivotally mounted in the casing 4 is a roller or like rotary member 8 on which the upper edge or end 9 (FIG. 2) of a blind 10 is attached. In the example illustrated, lower free end 11 of the blind is provided with a transverse rod, bar or like member 66 (FIG. 10) for weighting the blind, the ends of which project laterally beyond the side margins of the blind and coacts with stop means 12 provided on the transverse or lateral or upper Walls of the casing 4 in order to prevent the blind 10 from continuing its winding movement about the carrier roller 8 when the blind is in its uppermost or fully wound position (FIGS. 1 and 4).

Of course, any other adequate stop means may be provided for stopping the winding of the blind upon completion of its normal travel.

Adjacent the aperture halves 5, 5 are respective deflector faces 14, 14 inclined in opposite directions. If desired, these faces may be formed on or carried by the upper portion of the cross member 6. Care must be taken that a certain gap 15 is left between the rolled-up blind, on the one hand, and stop means 12 and guide means 14, 14', on the other hand.

A control member of any suitable design, for example in the form of a crank handle 13, is provided for rotating the cylinder or roller 8.

FIGURE 9 shows a cross-section of the roller 8. A groove 51 is provided along the roller and the margin 9' of edge 9 of blind 10 is wedged under a rod 52 fixed by screws 53. So the blind can be rolled in either direction in a very simple way.

FIGURE 10 shows a device to operate roller 8 in either direction. Crank handle 13 is connected to roller 8 through shafts or rods 61, 62, a universal joint 63 and bevel gears 64, 65, of which gear 64 is rigidly locked to the shaft 62 and gear 65 is rigidly locked to roller 8.

The operation of this blind is extremely simple:

Assuming that the blind is rolled up (FIG. 1) the operator first rotates the" member 13 in the direction of the arrow F1, so that the roller 8 turns in the direction of the arrow F2 and the blind 10, guided by the inclined face 14, becomes unrolled through aperture 5. The blind 10 now covers the outer side of the glass panel 7, which is to the left-hand side of the illustrations. When the blind has been unrolled completely (FIG. 2), and if it is desired to rewind it, two procedures may be adhered to:

The operator may rotate the roller 8 in the opposite direction, or in the same direction. In the second case, this is done by continuing the rotation of the crank handle 13 in the same direction F1, resulting in a rotation of the roller 8 in the direction F2. Then the blind will be rolled up again, as shown in FIG. 3, but in the opposite direction as would correspond to the reversal of arrow F1 in FIG. 1, its lower edge 11 passing through the gap 15 and attaining finally the position shown in FIG. 4 whereat it is stopped by the stop means 12. It is clear that in this position the lower edge 11 of the blind will register with the opposite or inner side of the glass panel, corresponding to the right-hand sides of the various views. To lower the blind on this side of the glass panel, the operator has simply to rotate the rod or crank handle 13 so that the roller 8 turns in the direction of the arrow F3 (FIG. 5), and the blind, guided by the inclined face 14' will unroll freely through aperture 5' to the position shown in FIG. 5.

By operating in the manner set forth hereinabove but in connection with the right-hand or inner side of the glass panel, the blind can be either rolled up to resume the 0 position shown in FIG. 4, or rolled up with a view to subsequently unroll same on the left-hand or front side of the window (FIG. 6).

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate an alternate embodiment of the blind of this invention.

In this alternate embodiment the blind mounting is identical with that illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6, 9 and 10, except that the stop means 12 are dispensed with.

In this case the blind is operated as follows:

Assuming that the blind 19 is unrolled on the front side of the window, it can be rolled up as usual, that is, by actuating the crank handle 13 in the direction of the arrow F4 (FIG. 7) so that the roller 8 will turn in the direction of the arrow F5. Upon completion of the blind winding operation the operator may either unroll the blind on the same front side by actuating the crank handle 13 in the opposite direction, or continue to rotate the crank handle still in the same direction (F4). The blind 10 will then continue to roll up about the roller 8, its free end 11 will then pass over the roller and follow its outer generatrix, so as to pass successively through positions P and P (FIG. 8) and finally fall on the other or rear side of the glass panel to position P The operator may cause the blind to unroll on this rear side of the window by simply actuating the crank handle 13 in the opposite direction (see arrow F6), so that the roller 8 will turn in the direction of the arrow F7.

If, on the contrary, the operator continues to rotate the crank handle 13 through a limited extent in the direction of the arrow F4 the free end 11 of the blind can slip on the guide face 14 and drop again on the front side of the window. 7

Then, it is sutlicient to operate the crank handle 13 in the direction of the arrow F6 to cause the blind to unroll itself on this front side of the Window.

Under these conditions it is clear that when the blind is rolled up the operator may, irrespective of the direction in which the blind has previously been rolled up, cause the blind to pass at will on one or the other side of the glass panel upon simply continuing the rotation of the roller 8 in the winding direction. r

Thus, when the operator, after having unrolled the blind completely, rolls it up by continuing the rotation of the crank handle in the same direction, he may, upon completion of the winding step, unroll the blind at will either on the other side of the window or on the same side.

Of course, the blind described and illustrated herein may be mounted not only on the leaf but also on the frame of the window, door or like structure, above the leaf.

It is applicable to fixed or movable windows or doors of any description and notably to such windows, pivoting windows, tilting windows, etc.

Moreover, the above-described blind, notably in the case of a tilting glass panel structure, may be designed or built in with the latter.

Of course, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the two embodiments shown and described herein by way of example, as many modifications and variations may be brought thereto Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A blind structure comprising, in combination, a blind to be mounted in a window or the like frame, a transparent panel to be shielded by said blind, a roller fixedly mounted substantially directly above said panel and spaced therefrom, said blind being secured at one end to said roller and adapted to be unwound on either side of said panel, and means for completely unwinding said blind along one side of said panel and by continuing the movement in the same direction winding said blind on the opposite side of said roller so as to have its free end hang along the other side of said panel.

2. A blind structure according to claim 1, further comprising a cross member above said panel, the upper surface of said member including a pair of inclined faces meeting at an apex.

3. A blind structure according to claim 2, wherein the axis of said roller is in substantial vertical alignment with said apex of said upper surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,147,188 Rojas July 20, 1915 1,968,428 Schmidt July 31, 1934 2,042,277 Santiago May 26, 1936 2,262,624 Scarborough et a1 Nov. 11, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 547,233 Italy Aug. 20, 1956 

1. A BLIND STRUCTURE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A BLIND TO BE MOUNTED IN A WINDOW OR THE LIKE FRAME, A TRANSPARENT PANEL TO BE SHIELDED BY SAID BLIND, A ROLLER FIXEDLY MOUNTED SUBSTANTIALLY DIRECTLY ABOVE SAID PANEL AND SPACED THEREFROM, SAID BLIND BEING SECURED AT ONE END TO SAID ROLLER AND ADAPTED TO BE UNWOUND ON EITHER SIDE OF SAID PANEL, AND MEANS FOR COMPLETELY UNWINDING SAID BLIND ALONG ONE SIDE OF SAID PANEL AND BY CONTINUING THE MOVEMENT IN THE SAME DIRECTION WINDING SAID BLIND ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID ROLLER SO AS TO HAVE ITS FREE END HANG ALONG THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID PANEL. 